Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
NuviaRx vs Shapely
Two GLP-1 programs on the bench, scored on the same six factors. Here's how their real cost of ownership compares — and which one we'd start with.
NuviaRx
Cost-first shoppers who want the lowest 'starting' price on paper, if you're willing to prepay a full year.
Visit NuviaRxShapely
Cost-first shoppers who want insured patients in CA, FL, NY, or TX who want help navigating coverage for branded GLP-1s.
Visit ShapelyThe verdict
NuviaRx and Shapely tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 64/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with NuviaRx (ranked #179, a hair above #182) — Cost-first shoppers who want the lowest 'starting' price on paper, if you're willing to prepay a full year. But Shapely is a genuine coin-flip alternative here.
Worth knowing either way: our overall #1 pick is CoreAge Rx (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100 — the top of the ranking). See how it stacks up: CoreAge Rx vs NuviaRx.
Factor by factor
Both providers scored on our six Cost-Efficiency Index factors. The stronger side on each row is marked in teal.
Normalized Cost/Month
Price Transparency
Nationwide Access
Formulation Options
Clinical Oversight
Contract Flexibility
Pricing, coverage & formulary
The disclosed facts behind the scores. Lower price wins its row (teal).
| Spec | NuviaRx | Shapely |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 64/100 | 64/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $140/mo (all doses, annual plan, compounded) | $99/mo (plus a separate fee, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $170/mo (all doses, compounded) | $166/mo (plus a separate fee, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,680 | $1,188 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $2,040 | $1,992 |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | 4 states |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Yes |
| Rank here | #179 | #182 |
NuviaRx
64/100Where the value is
- Genuinely flat pricing across all doses within the annual plan, with consultation and monthly check-ins bundled in
- No membership fees or dose-escalation surcharges disclosed
- Free home delivery included; cancel-anytime language present despite the annual-prepay framing
The tradeoffs
- The advertised '$140/$170 starting' price is gated behind a full annual prepay — no month-to-month rate is published anywhere on the site, so the headline figure is not accessible the way it reads
- No compounding pharmacy is named — only described generically as 'a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy'
Shapely
64/100Where the value is
- Named, credentialed founder (Dr. Justin Zaghi, Harvard-trained, board-certified obesity medicine)
- Genuine insurance-navigation service across 8 major payers, potentially large savings if covered
- Both cash-pay compounded and insurance-covered branded pathways offered
The tradeoffs
- Live in only 4 states (CA, FL, NY, TX) despite a '50-state expansion' announcement
- Separate membership fee stacks on top of medication cost, and its headline prices ($9 first month, $49/mo promo) are not the real ongoing rate ($99/mo)
Assume any provider we list may compensate us — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes the Cost-Efficiency Index. Pricing, states and verification reflect each provider's public disclosures at last review; prices change — confirm on the provider's site. Not medical advice. See our disclosure.